Swift v Springsteen: Is There a New Boss in Town?

In the year 2023, two iconic artists have returned to the big stage post-pandemic. Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen (with the quintessential E Street Band) have kicked off their international tours and continue to make the headlines show after show. At first glance these two tours appear completely different, however the premise behind both shows is the same: a celebration of the artist's complete current collection of work. Both Swift and Springsteen have embarked on their era tours. 

These are two of the biggest artists of their respective generations. They are both acclaimed for their lyrics that their audiences can relate to. Swift, conveys the struggles of relationships and personal growth while Springsteen writes about the dreams of the working-class American. They both have allowed a space for their audience to express and voice the joys and pains of their everyday lives. They are not necessarily getting rid of their audience's problems, but at least letting them dance on top of them for a little while.

Springsteen fans and swifties all united over their shared hatred for Ticketmaster and battled for a spot at their favorite artists' show. Although I can't say so for sure, I assume that the overlap between Springsteen fans and Swifties is small and the number of those fans who somehow managed to score tickets for both is even smaller. I had the opportunity to see both in Chicago this summer. I attended Chicago night one of the eras' tours and Springsteen's second show at Wrigleyville in August. 

Springsteen is no doubt a legend, but he has not necessarily evolved as an artist, and neither has his audience which can be seen at his shows. He wears the same jeans and black shirt with combat boots night after night, moves around the stage, and interacts with everyone in a playful manner. At the age of seventy three he is carefree and having fun on stage while Swift on the other hand is focused on hitting every mark. She has multiple costume changes, choreography, and elaborate visual effects. During the song “My Tears Ricochet,” the screen projects images of candles melting, waves crashing, and teardrops falling. It is truly a work of art. During the song delicate as she stomps on the floor the stage cracks. Everything she does truly is “bejeweled.” I would argue both of them have choreographed exactly what they are going to say and do, but Springsteen makes it look as if it is all improvised at the moment. Swift puts on a performance that is not purely centered around the songs, but instead the experience. Springsteen also does not need to evolve, while Taylor believes a woman must continue to change to keep the public's attention. This can be seen throughout her career as she changes her aesthetic and rebrands at the release of a new album. 

Swift is certainly a symbol of enormous empowerment, yet she barely acknowledges the other musicians on stage while Springsteen does just about everything possible to ensure you know the others up there with him are equally as important. Springsteen's show starts with a dramatic entrance for each member of the E Street band while at an eras tour show, only Swift gets an entrance. Any fan of the boss knows every member of the E Street band and their lore, the same cannot be said for Swifties about her band. 

One thing is for sure, both of these concerts are for the fans. Taylor's show runs over three hours and Springteen two and a half, longer than the average concert. They do this because they know that's what the fans want. As Swift sings “You Could Stay” during “The Archer” it is clear she is speaking to the audience. In the introduction of “Last Man Standing,” Springsteen explains this is about being the last one alive from his first band when he was just a teenager he repeats the words “You are in my heart.” It becomes clear that he is not just talking about the ghosts of his friends but about the audience. The relationship that these artists have with their listeners is unique to them. 

While Springsteen has not yet directly stated it himself, it can be assumed this is E Street’s goodbye tour, but for Swift, this tour serves as a start to her complete takeover of the music industry that has occurred since the pandemic. There is certainly room on the big stage for both of these icons but as Springtseen’s touring career comes to close, Swift is prepared to take on the role of being a household name for a new generation.